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Message started by EdwardT on 01/09/23 at 23:42:09

Title: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/09/23 at 23:42:09

I was looking at Troels Gravenson, Meniscus and Madisound for an entry level three way kit when PE offered this kit. 8” woofer, 5” mid and 1” tweeter in a decent stand sized ported box 21”x11”x13” with the mid in a separate chamber.



The CNC flat pack is decently cut. I'm going to add a 3/4” dowel to reduce the ringing my knuckles made on the side.





Test populating the massive crossover boards. Glue and soldering to follow after another look thru.



I'm also going to sub GRs NoRez in the woofer camber, I've used this a few times now and it does the job.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by 4krow on 01/10/23 at 01:37:46

This may well be an interesting build. Thanks for decent photos. Sounds silly to ask but what glue will you use? I have tried many kinds and like a longer set time than some out there. I am betting that you have a bunch of clamps too.
I will keep my eye on this thread since speaker building has been great over the years for me.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/10/23 at 13:05:03

Titebond III gives me enough time to set the clamps; and I’m going to need to increase my clamp herd by four :-)
I’m also planning to invert the order, normally I’d install the crossover after the mdf glue up but this is really large and the separate mid/hi chamber will make setting the hold down screws a trick. So, I’ll be taping up the openings and doing the interior work before glue up. That’s bound to present some novel problems but I’m here for it.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/13/23 at 21:55:35

The tornado sirens ran me out of the shop yesterday before I was ready to stop but I got back to it today.



The crossover board occupies most of the bottom, I’m still working out a scheme to attach it before glue up so I don’t have to screw it down blind.



Crossovers done and wired. And a quick test to make certain they actually work. They do, now it’s time to glue up the cabinets
.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/23/23 at 23:03:27

Made some progress toward glue up with an eye toward a few days over 45° for the Titebond.



Obligatory test fit and marking to pre-drill screw holes.




The midrange driver is designed as a dipole driver, not exactly open baffle more like open tunnel.




I wanted to chamfer the larger foam to reduce any chance of turbulence in that narrow area adjacent the sealed mid chamber/tunnel. It would have been neater with a bandsaw and a tilting table but the old razor knife got close.



And sealing the openings to keep as much sanding debris out of the foam and electronics. This is totally backwards assembly but the sealed mid section reduces accessibility enough that attaching the foam, no rez and crossover promised a failure at some juncture.  

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by 4krow on 01/24/23 at 02:16:10

 I continue interest with your project. Part of the reason is the build quality and thought that you have put into it. I am at kinda the same point with a baffle not glued in yet, and thought the same as you with the crossover, but I can get mine in through the port hole, just barely. The shop isn't even close to cozy temp wise, so I gotta wait it out for some time to come.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/25/23 at 20:51:04



I was overly optimistic about the open time of Titebond III at 50° and I need to choreograph the next cabinet assembly in order to get the clamps applied in good order. I know I’ve complicated assembly by adding the cross cabinet dowel but it really damps the sides and I think that’s a good result. The rabbets for the mid chamber are fussy join and I’m sure that contributed to the anxiety.




Also, I’m redrawing the veneer cut sheet to better center the pattern. African Anegre is something I haven’t worked with so there's a new learning curve at hand. This portion should give me all of the tops and bottoms and a test strip. I want to radius the front but I’ll have to do a test piece to see if that highly figured pattern with flow around an edge.




Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by 4krow on 01/25/23 at 21:33:59

Don't get me started on open time! Some glues are faster than my hands. I even tend to use an overabundance of glue, thinking that it might get me an edge but instead it just gives me a mess.
I am like you walking round my workbench looking and trying to capitalize off my time for a glue up knowing full well what the price of forgetting something can turn out to be.
I agree with the thinking about the dowel, as I have considered as an afterthought this idea for my DNA2 build. Much better to get it right before finishing the cabinet. In my case, I have considered using a pipe stanchion on each inside wall and then figuring the rest out as I go along.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/25/23 at 21:54:27

I used a Forstner bit and ran it about 3/8” deep, then I clamped the parts together and measured the result using the depth probe on a plastic caliper, marking it on the edge. I cut the dowel to that instead of a tape. Did a few test fits, practiced fitting the sides just to test the idea. I did not practice with all of the clamps and I should have given that a go, it would have taught me where to stage the clamps for best access during glue up.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by 4krow on 01/25/23 at 22:45:37

It doesn't always work out, but sometimes I use my workbench as part of the clamping process. It is really flat and if the cabinet dimensions agree with it then I can lay the speaker cabinet sideways on the bench. In some cases, everything falls into place, and I will even be able to clamp the whole cabinet at once. Also there have been times where a stack of panels on top/side of the speakers being clamped are placed so that the pressure of the clamp is spread across a wider area. But you already know no one can have enough clamps!

Here's a thought. I don't know how you might be heating your shop, but I have found that in spite of the idea that I like radiant heat, it dries the glue even faster. Yup, you get even less open time. Kind cool for some finish work though.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 01/30/23 at 22:59:17

My building is passive so it’s only warm on sunny days until mid April or so.

I had a much better clamp dance for this cab.



And the first cab only needs a light bit of work to prep for veneer.




But the big deal for me was testing the veneer to see if it would really follow a 1/2” radius with Heat Lock glue. It didn’t shrink too much and I should be able to capture a nice, fair curve. My test piece did okay.



I tried a coat of (the wrong formulation) Rubio Monocoat and their “Natural” has way too much pigment for me, what you see above is as much of that removed with mineral spirits as I could rub out. But the curve worked just dandy.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 02/10/23 at 12:52:19

More progress aided by warmer weather:
1/2” roundover on the face edges, I was not prepared for the prodigious amount of mdf dust and spent quite a bit of time vacuuming the work space.



First veneering steps, bottom then back using heat lock glue.



And routing the back openings with a down cut spiral bit.



I’m making a riser for the next part where the cabinet will sit face up, the veneer will wrap around and I need clearance for the overlap along the back edges.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 02/22/23 at 23:48:01

More progress, the riser worked and the front/side wrap is complete. The two tops are next to be followed by the speaker openings.







Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by Geno on 02/23/23 at 00:08:37

Edward,

Nice work!!! I really like the veneer, and look forward to seeing the end results.

Best,

Geno

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 02/25/23 at 18:00:05

I’m really pleased that I bought new router bits.


Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 03/06/23 at 22:17:49

Rubio Monocoat Pure, coating #1:




Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by HockessinKid on 03/06/23 at 23:56:02

Ed,

Those cabinets look great, congratulations!

HK

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by 4krow on 03/07/23 at 04:24:38

 That grain and the way that you laid it out stopped me dead. That is really impressive work, and no it wouldn't be if you didn't get it laid out the way you did, it would be about half as good.
How much finish do you plan to use?

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by JBzen on 03/07/23 at 10:11:22

Nice work Ed. The grain flows nicely in those latest pics 😍

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 03/07/23 at 17:12:26

They’re still a work in progress, the Rubio Monocoat is not even in a few places. The remedy (according to the Rubio help desk) is to cure them and then scuff thoroughly with a red pad (approx 320 grit) and apply a new coat. Unknown to me, African Anegre is likely a softwood and the oil penetrates unevenly. I’ll busy myself building the stands while I wait.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 03/26/23 at 15:51:55



After multiple attempts to build a pair of interesting speaker stands I ended up going with simplicity, 1” oak dowels imbedded in 1 3/4” hardwood butcher block. I'll be adding my version of iso pads as feet (from hvac anti-vibration mats) and likely some combination of Herbie's fat dots under the cabinets.
I did size these around the idea of placing the Vidar mono blocks on the base, again with more iso pads, keeping the speaker cable runs under two feet.

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by Bottlehead on 03/27/23 at 07:27:57

Those look professionally done, Ed. Good work.

Randy

Title: Re: Orion three way speakers
Post by EdwardT on 03/27/23 at 14:23:12



Orion speaker completed on stand with Vidar next to GR-Research X-SLS ready for A/B testing to learn which will be the main system. It's funny how the iPhone distorts the image so that the GR looks like it is leaning like the Tower of Pisa.

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